


A Ladybug Original

by miraculousstorytelling



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Character Development, Developing Friendships, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/F, Feelings Realization, I promise there's fluff and comedy in this too, Identity Reveal, There's just a lot of emotions in it as well
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-21
Updated: 2017-03-21
Packaged: 2018-10-08 19:38:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,109
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10394568
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/miraculousstorytelling/pseuds/miraculousstorytelling
Summary: Marinette frowned, almost glaring back. “You want me to make a dress for you?”“Yes,” Chloe answered as though the request was perfectly normal.“Is this a joke?”“Look, are you going to design something or not?”When Marinette reluctantly agreed to create a dress for Chloe, she imagined the best case scenario meant Chloe might ignore her instead of constantly mocking her. She never accounted for Chloe accidentally discovering her secret identity and how that might lead to an entirely different sort of ending.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [breeeliss](https://archiveofourown.org/users/breeeliss/gifts).



“You want me to what?”

“You heard me,” Chloe snapped, tapping her foot impatiently as she stared Marinette down. “It’s in two months. That’s plenty of time.”

Marinette frowned, almost glaring back. “You want me to make a dress for you?”

“Yes,” Chloe answered as though the request was perfectly normal.

“Is this a joke?”

Chloe huffed and looked away. “No. Daddykins already offered to pay you.”

“Wait.” Marinette held up a hand. “Why would you ask  _ me _ to design your dress?”

Chloe finally looked back at Marinette and sighed impatiently. “Well, you won that contest with Mr. Agreste, didn’t you? That must mean you’re good.”

“But, you could hire a professional. I don’t get it.” Marinette folded her arms over her chest. “Why come to me?”

“You’re my classmate. It’s convenient.”

“I don’t buy it,” Marinette answered, shaking her head.

“Plus, you’re an amateur, so Daddykins won’t have to pay you as much,” Chloe replied with a too-casual wave of her hand.

“You expect me to believe you care about saving money?” Marinette scoffed. “I heard you refused a picture frame because it was the wrong kind of gold.”

“I…” Chloe rolled her eyes and spat out the words like they were poison. “Fine. I happen to like some of your designs. Are you happy now?”

Marinette’s eyes widened. “You do?” It was certainly news to her, given how often Chloe teased her about her taste in clothes. “Since when?”

“Look, are you going to design something or not?”

Marinette paused to consider her answer. Chloe was watching her, all tension and discomfort as she waited for Marinette to decide. Part of her was tempted to smile, say no, and walk away, leaving Chloe hurt and humiliated for a change. After years of being the one Chloe openly mocked at every opportunity, this could very well be her chance for revenge.

On the other hand, she had a chance to change everything by saying yes. After all, being on good terms, or at least not enemies, with Chloe would make her life much more pleasant. Marinette had been her target for years, so being on Chloe’s good side would mean eliminating one of the biggest enemies in her life, Hawkmoth notwithstanding. Besides, at the very least, knowing Chloe was wearing her design to a party honoring Ladybug and Chat Noir might even be a better kind of payback.

Marinette finally nodded. “Yes.”

“You will?” Chloe straightened, eyes wide in surprise. Clearly, she’d expected Marinette to refuse.

“But,” Marinette continued with the barest hint of a smirk, “If I do, you have to pay for the cost of materials and if anyone asks, you have to tell them the truth about who designed it.” Because if Chloe made the experience terrible, Marinette wouldn’t hesitate to use her position as Ladybug to ask her in front of everyone, press included.

“Ugh. Fine,” Chloe grumbled half-heartedly.

“And you’ll need to come to my house so I can measure you.” Marinette looked her over for a moment, mentally noting her proportions. “Do you have any ideas about how you want it to look?”

Chloe finally smiled. “Just a few.”

As it turned out, Chloe was just as demanding as Marinette might have expected. She’d obviously thought through every inch of her dream dress, and she quickly rattled off a list of requirements long enough to make Marinette’s head spin.

Good thing Marinette loved a challenge.

 

On her way home, Marinette wandered into one of her favorite fabric shops, hoping for inspiration. In the middle of cooing over the new arrivals, she caught sight of a set of buttons, styled perfectly to match Ladybug’s earrings. As soon as she picked them up, her design clicked into place. She bought the buttons and a few yards of fabric and ran straight home.

“Hey, Mom! Gotta go work on a design for Chloe! Bye!”

Her mother watched as Marinette dashed past her. “What? Marinette!”

Marinette skidded to a stop and turned to face her, eyes bright with excitement. “Chloe asked me to design a dress for the party the mayor is hosting for Ladybug and Chat Noir, and I have the perfect idea!”

“Wait, you said yes to this?” Sabine frowned. “This is the girl that made your life miserable for years.”

“I know, but…” Marinette shrugged, some of her energy fading at the look in her mother’s eyes. “I thought maybe she’d be nicer to me and Alya if I did. Besides, you know Chloe. If she likes it, she’ll show it off to everyone. And if I’m going to be a designer, I might have to work with clients I don’t like in the future, too.”

“Okay, I see your point.” Sabine gently patted her shoulder. “I’m proud of you for doing it, but…” She chuckled and resumed stocking pastries in the bakery’s displays. “I don’t like it, and I don’t think Alya will either.”

 

“You’re doing what?!” Alya shouted over the phone. “Marinette, this is a terrible idea!”

Marinette sighed. “I know, I know…” She looked over one of several sketches she’d made while brainstorming the perfect design. “But, maybe this will change things, you know? Wouldn’t it be nice to not have Chloe making fun of us all the time?”

“Okay, yeah, but at what cost? You’re going to be working for Chloe!”

“I’m going to be working  _ with _ Chloe,” Marinette corrected. “Not for.”

“She’s paying you to design a dress.” Alya shot back. “You’re working  _ for _ her.”

Marinette groaned. “Look, I know how it sounds, but-”

Alya cut her off, “And she’s a monster.”

“Alya, I-”

Alya’s voice raised as she continued, “And this could just be some kind of trick! If she hurts you, I swear-”

Marinette grimaced. “Look, it might be. I just think it’s worth the risk.”

“Well…” Alya deflated somewhat. “You know I’m gonna support you, no matter what.”

“I know.” Marinette smiled, relieved that Alya was on her side, despite her best friend’s justifiable reservations. “Thank you.”

“And I will  _ happily _ fight her for you.”

Marinette grinned. “Of course. And I’d do the same for you.”

“I know. Because you’re a good person. Unlike,” Alya added in an exaggerated, haughty tone, “One Miss Chloe Bourgeois.”

Marinette snickered. “Alya, you’re the best friend I could ever ask for.”

Alya scoffed. “Of course I am.” She lowered her voice as she continued, “And, you know, if you stitch ‘Chloe is the absolute worst’ or ‘Alya and Marinette are the best’ somewhere in the dress, I won’t say a word.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.” Marinette grinned.

“Call me if you need me.” Alya sighed. “Or just to save me from math.”

Marinette nodded. “Anytime.” She hung up the phone and flipped to a fresh page in her sketchbook, still brainstorming.

“I think it’s great that you’re designing Chloe’s dress,” Tikki said from beside her. “I’m proud of you, Marinette.”

Marinette glanced over at her. “Thanks, Tikki.” She flipped to one of her previous designs and showed it to Tikki. “What do you think about this one? I like the shape, but I think maybe it needs a little something more if Chloe’s going to like it.”

Tikki examined it. “Well, I think it looks lovely.”

Marinette chuckled. “You think all of my designs are lovely.”

“Because they are!” Tikki grinned. “You’re very talented!”

“You’re the best.” Marinette sent her a small smile. “What would I do without you?”

 

The next day, Marinette met Chloe outside of school. “I have some ideas if you want to take a look.”

Chloe raised a brow. “Already?”

“I was inspired.” Marinette shrugged and pulled out her sketchbook. “I was thinking something ladybug-themed, since I know how much you love Ladybug.”

“Well, obviously,” Chloe answered, rolling her eyes.

“So, this was my first idea.” Marinette showed one sketch to Chloe. “And I was thinking a keyhole in the back with this adorable button I found that looks exactly like Ladybug’s earrings.”

Chloe scrutinized the page for a moment. Marinette suspected she was looking for some kind of flaw to critique. “I don’t like the neckline. It’s all wrong.”

“Okay, well, what about this one instead?” Marinette flipped the page. “I thought a sweetheart neckline would be more your style, but-”

“And I hate the sleeves,” Chloe added, folding her arms over her chest.

Marinette grimaced. “Okay, well, I can change that. What about the design as a whole?”

“I hate it.”

Marinette sent her a sharp look. “Fine. I had some other ideas. What about this one?”

“Boring.”

“You didn’t even look at it!”

Chloe scoffed. “Yes, I did.” She wrinkled her nose. “Who uses tulle these days?”

“Fine! I’ll get rid of the tulle! You said you wanted a wide skirt, so-”

“Is that all you have?”

Marinette grumbled and turned the page to show the last design. “One more.”

Chloe eyed it for a moment. “It’s not...awful.”

“Oh, thank you.”

“Try taking off those ugly sleeves.” She considered a moment. “And that keyhole back would be okay with this, I guess.”

Marinette pulled out her pencil and wrote down Chloe’s suggestions. “I can work with that. What about the colors?”

“I can live with it,” Chloe conceded.

“And the shape?” Marinette asked, hoping for a reaction stronger than reluctantly neutral.

“It’s okay,” Chloe answered with a wave of her hand.

“I’ll...come up with some more sketches, then. Are you free after school? We can decide on something, and I can measure you.”

Chloe tapped the screen of her phone a few times, reluctantly answering, “I guess could move some things around and make it work.”

“Don’t strain yourself or anything,” Marinette muttered under her breath.

“What?” Chloe asked, eyes narrowed.

“See you after school.” Marinette closed her sketchbook with a sharp snap and ran off to meet Alya.

“You okay?” Alya asked, immediately sending Chloe a glare. “You look upset. What did she do?”

“Nothing. I just forgot how picky she was,” Marinette answered wearily, resting her forehead on Alya’s shoulder.

“Picky?” Alya shouted. “You’re bending over backwards for that stuck-up brat, and she’s being picky?”

Marinette sighed. “Let’s just go to class.”

 

After spending her lunch break clearing her room of Adrien’s pictures then sketching design after design, Marinette finally managed to decide on the perfect one, or at least as close to Chloe’s definition of perfect as Marinette could get. Because, if Marinette was going to design a dress for Chloe Bourgeois, she was going to make sure Chloe fell in love with it.

Despite her confidence, Marinette could feel her nerves growing with each step she took as she led Chloe to her home after school.

“And can you believe we have so much reading tonight?” Chloe ranted as she tapped a message into her phone while she walked. “I had plans, and now Sabrina is sick, so she can’t do it for me.”

Marinette tuned her out, mentally refining the dress in her mind. Naturally, she’d need to find a prominent place to put her name somewhere in the stitching just in case Chloe tried to credit it to someone else. Maybe around the keyhole in the back.

“And that history test tomorrow? Please…” Chloe followed her through the side entrance to Marinette’s home and up the stairs. “What does it matter if I know the name of some dumb king.”

Marinette unlocked the front door, deliberately ignoring Chloe at this point. “Do you want any snacks or anything to drink?”

Chloe arched a brow, almost offended by the offer. “No. I’ll eat after we’re done.”

Marinette sighed and led Chloe up to her room, ignoring how Chloe scrutinized their main living area. “Well, I’ll try not to keep you, then.” She shoved open the trapdoor and set down her purse. “Let me show you the design first, and you can tell me what’s wrong with it while I measure you.”

Chloe sighed and tucked her phone in her purse. “Fine.”

Still hopeful that maybe she’d manage to impress her for a change, Marinette flipped open her sketchbook and presented it to Chloe.

Chloe stared, lips parted in surprise. She grabbed the sketchbook and stared, eyes bright as she took in every detail and skimmed the notes Marinette made all over the page.

Marinette watched carefully, heart in her throat. “What do you think?”

Chloe looked up at her and cleared her throat. “It’ll work, I guess.”

Marinette deflated. “Really?”

“I mean, we don’t have all afternoon, so-”

“No, you were speechless for a minute.” Marinette frowned. “And I’m not going to settle for ‘it’s okay’ or ‘it’ll work’. Either you love it or you don’t.”

Chloe pursed her lips and examined it again. “I…” She handed the sketchbook back to Marinette and looked away. “I can’t see a way to make it better.”

“Say you love it.” Marinette didn’t budge, willing to call Chloe’s bluff. “Or I’m starting over.”

“No!” Chloe turned to face her. “Don’t. I like it.” She grimaced, looking as though the confession pained her. “Actually, I love it. It’s perfect.”

“That wasn’t so hard, now was it?” Marinette took the book from Chloe, smirking as she set it aside.

Chloe scowled. “Can I go now?”

“No, I need to measure you. Take off your cardigan.”

Chloe grimaced and slid off her yellow cardigan, gently setting it on Marinette’s chaise beside her purse. “I could have sent you my measurements, you know.”

“Yes, but I like measuring myself.” Marinette pulled out her measuring tape. “Now, keep still.”

Chloe nodded and held her arms still beside her body, leaving enough room for Marinette to reach through. “You think you can measure better than a professional?”

“I didn’t say that.” Marinette started off with a simple shoulder measurement, quickly jotting it down on the back of her design for Chloe. “I just feel like it’s easier to visualize it when I’m the one who measured it.”

“Whatever.”

Marinette measured the back of Chloe’s neck and a few different sleeve lengths, just in case she had to make any changes. “Okay, I’m measuring your bust now.”

“Fine,” Chloe answered, sounding bored.

“Sorry, am I not entertaining enough?” Marinette grumbled as she reached around to carefully position the measuring tape around Chloe’s chest.

“Sabrina said you had a bunch of pictures of Adrien, but there’s just some designs and pictures of you and Alya.”

Marinette stiffened, but she finished the measurement anyway and jotted it down. “Waist next.”

“Did you take the posters down?” Chloe asked, peeking behind her.

“Don’t move.” Marinette repositioned Chloe’s shoulders. “And yes.” She wrapped the tape around Chloe’s waist, adjusting it until she reached the narrowest point before glancing at the number and writing it down.

“Why?”

“Because you were coming over. Hips next.” She lowered the measuring tape to Chloe’s hips, adjusting it to the widest point and noting the results.

“I’m Adrien’s friend. You think I don’t have pictures of him all over my room, too?”

Marinette rolled her eyes and moved in front of Chloe. “It’s different. I didn’t want you-”

Both girls froze when a loud crash sounded from outside. Marinette ran to the window, and she groaned.

“It looks like an akuma.” She turned to look at Chloe. “Okay, you should stay with my parents. I need to go...look for Alya.”

“What?” Chloe scowled. “But, we’re not done yet!”

“Fine, stay here, then, but I have to go!” Marinette snatched up her purse, quickly making up the first lie she could. “We were meeting up, and I think she could be in danger if she’s outside right now.”

“You can’t just-”

Marinette slammed the trapdoor shut behind her as she raced downstairs. Thankfully, the stairwell was clear, which meant she could transform quickly and get to the akuma before it could do more damage. “Okay, Tikki, spots-”

“Marinette Dupain-Cheng!”

“On?”

Chloe, who was much quicker and quieter than Marinette had obviously given her credit for, ran out into the open area just as Marinette began to transform. Everything slowed down as Marinette met Chloe’s wide blue eyes and a bright pink flash lit up their surroundings.

Ladybug watched as Chloe stared, opened her mouth to speak, closed it, then finally screamed.

“Marine-”

Ladybug quickly covered her mouth. “Chloe, you can’t shout my name, okay?”

Chloe nodded, still utterly shocked.

“So, if I take my hand away, you’re going to be quiet?”

She nodded again.

Ladybug finally stepped away. “I have to go take care of this akuma, but when I get back we can talk.” She grimaced. “You should probably wait in my room. You  _ cannot _ tell my parents about this.”

“But, you’re-”

Ladybug pinned her in place with a single look. “Stay here.”

Chloe nodded slowly and watched as Ladybug ran out to take down what had to be the most inconveniently-timed akuma she had ever faced.

 

Ladybug and Chat Noir defeated the akuma in record time, and Ladybug raced back to her room. Chloe waited for her on her chaise, and she perked up when Ladybug dropped down from her skylight.

“Marinette!”

Marinette grimaced and released her transformation before meeting Chloe on the main level of her room. “Okay, first things first, I-”

Chloe quickly interrupted her, “Look, I’ve thought about this, and now that I know you’re Ladybug, obviously things have to change.” Chloe grinned. “Since Ladybug and I are best friends, that means we are, too. And it’s a little weird, but-”

“Stop.” Marinette held up a hand and frowned. “We’re not best friends, Chloe.”

Chloe frowned, hurt filling her eyes. “But-”

“You’ve been awful to me for years now.” Marinette folded her arms over her chest and avoided Chloe’s stare. “I know you like Ladybug, but if that’s the only reason you want to be friends, this isn’t going to work."

Chloe took a step back, her brows knitted in confusion. “But, you agreed to design this dress.”

“Yes. I did that so maybe you’d stop treating me and Alya so horribly.” Marinette scooped up her tape measure. “You insult us and make fun of us all the time, and you got Alya in a lot of trouble over a dumb picture.”

“It was an invasion of my privacy!” Chloe protested.

Marinette grabbed Chloe’s shoulders and held her still. “You used your father’s position to punish her way more than she should have been.” She quickly measured from the juncture of Chloe’s shoulder to her waist, then from her shoulder to her bust line and noted both measurements. “You’re a bully.”

“I was just-”

“And I’m happy to take pictures with you as Ladybug and save you, because you’re a human being who should be able to trust in a hero. Plus, I sort of hope you’ll grow up and stop treating people like they’re less important than you…” Marinette measured down to just below Chloe’s knees. “But, all of that doesn’t mean we’re suddenly best friends because you know my identity.”

Chloe watched her, eyes narrowed. “Ladybug is my hero.”

“Yeah,” Marinette wrote down the last of Chloe’s measurements. “And you’ve spent the past several years tearing down your hero’s self-esteem and making her think she isn’t even good enough to  _ be _ Ladybug.”

“What?”

“So, maybe you should think about that while you catch up on reading for French.” Marinette glanced over at Chloe, her heart still racing from the confrontation. “If you really care for Ladybug, you’ll keep my identity secret. From everyone.”

Chloe folded her arms over her chest. “Of course I will. Look, I love Ladybug. She’s incredible and selfless, and I’m not stupid. I know you didn’t always want to take those pictures, but I thought we were friends.”

Marinette inhaled sharply and set the tape measure aside. “I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

“I wanted to be like you.”

Marinette grimaced. “If you’re trying to make me feel guilty, you can stop. I’m not going to.” She took a deep breath, trying to calm her nerves. “I’m not saying we’re not friends because I’m angry. I’m hurt, and I don’t trust you not to hurt me again.”

“But, I  _ love _ Ladybug,” Chloe almost shouted back. “Why would I hurt you?”

“I don’t know!” Marinette snapped. “Why did you hurt Marinette?”

“Because…” Chloe almost shrank in on herself. “I don’t know.”

Marinette watched her quietly, considering her options and hoping she wasn’t making a mistake. Chloe had been her tormenter for so long, Marinette had really only ever hoped for a ceasefire. Friendship seems like an impossible goal for them, and Marinette had always rejected the idea every time her mind conjured up the image. “It doesn’t really matter why.” She shook her head, her voice soft. “I’m not trying to punish you. I just…” Marinette finally sat on her chaise, shoulders sagging as she looked down. “You made my life miserable. I can’t just pretend that didn’t happen.”

Chloe was silent, staring at Tikki who had watched the entire exchange from Marinette’s chair. Finally, she murmured, “Ladybug is my hero. I idolized her. I think…” She bit her lip. “I don’t think I know how to be a nice person.”

Marinette looked over at her. “You know, it’s easy for people to be selfish. Being a nice person takes work.”

“So,” Chloe sat beside her, slowly releasing a breath. “Can you teach me?”

Marinette finally managed a small smile. “Yeah, I guess that would be a little miraculous, wouldn’t it?”

 

“So, she liked the dress?” Alya asked, excitement brightening her voice over the phone.

“She loved it,” Marinette answered. “Said it was perfect.”

“Look at you, Miss Fancy Designer. You even managed to impress the biggest snob to walk the face of the Earth.” She chuckled. “You have to tell Nino tomorrow. He didn’t believe me when I told him you were designing her dress.”

“Alya, you told him?”

“Oh, he can keep a secret!”

Marinette hummed in consideration. “I mean, she promised she’d tell anyone who asked, so I guess it’s not really a secret.”

“Good, cause I’m thinking of making T-shirts.”

Marinette grinned. “Oh, great. Make them Ladybug themed to go with the dress.”

“Oh, of course.” Alya chuckled.

“And… I think maybe she’s open to the idea of trying to be friendlier with everyone.”

“Really?” Alya’s bed creaked as she rolled onto her stomach. “Chloe? Friendly?”

Marinette shrugged. “She said she’s willing to try, so… Maybe we can help her out.”

“Help Chloe out?” Alya lowered her voice as she continued, “She didn’t brainwash you, did she?”

“No,” Marinette laughed. “Look, think about how much better school would be if Chloe was nice.”

“Better school would mean no homework or tests,” Alya corrected. “Chloe being nice would make me think we were in a parallel dimension.”

“You know what I mean.”

Alya sighed dramatically. “Fine. Okay. I’ll try to help her be a decent person instead of a human cesspool.”

Marinette snorted. “Maybe start by not calling her a human cesspool.”

“Only for you, girl.”

 

The next day, Chloe went to her seat without a snide comment for Marinette or Alya and instead pulled out her phone until Ms. Bustier walked in the classroom.

Chloe walked over to her and spoke softly enough that most of the class missed what she said, but based on the shocked expression on their teacher’s face, it was obviously unexpected. Everyone quickly fell quiet to try and catch a snippet of the conversation.

Nino, by far the closest, turned to Adrien. “Did she just ask to get a copy of the homework for Sabrina?”

Adrien nodded slowly, and Marinette smiled down at Chloe, proud of her first steps.

Chloe collected the assignment and sent the rest of the class a sharp glare. She returned to her seat with a toss of her ponytail.

Well, Marinette leaned back in her seat and sighed, at least it was one step in the right direction.

 

As the week passed, Chloe paid more attention to Sabrina, insisting on doing her own homework, or at least collaborating. She complained about it to Marinette through a series of texts populated by too many emojis, but Marinette encouraged her that she was doing a great job so far.

“This is hard,” Chloe sent back, followed by two crying faces.

Marinette chuckled and replied, “If it helps, I’m proud of you!”

Chloe took a moment to respond, but when she did, her text had a smiling face and a ladybug beside it. “It helps.”

 

The next week, Chloe invited Adrien to join her for an afternoon together, encouraging him to decide what they should do. In the end, they stayed in and finally watched a series he’d always sworn she’d like.

“I am watching anime thanks to you,” Chloe texted Marinette as the theme song played.

“All part of being a nicer person,” Marinette answered, adding in a smiling emoji of her own. “Which anime?”

“I don’t know, something about a sailor? All I know is there’s a talking cat and this girl is crying a lot.”

Marinette laughed. “Yeah, I think you might like Sailor Moon, actually.”

Four hours later, Chloe finally texted her back. “Marinette, can you make me a Sailor Moon costume?” Seconds later, she added. “Adrien wants one, too.”

 

The third week saw Chloe actually take a flyer from Nino when he handed them out to the class. “Sure, I’ll go. You’re DJing, right?”

Nino stared at her as though she’d suddenly grown another head. “Uhh… Yeah.”

“Well, I’ll be there, then.”

Adrien looked positively thrilled. “Hey, I’m glad you’re joining us, Chlo.”

Chloe glanced over. “Yeah, I hear he’s good at it.”

Nino almost tripped when he heard Chloe speak, but Marinette sent Chloe a smile in response. “That’s really nice of you to say that, Chloe.”

Chloe didn’t stop smiling for the rest of the morning.

The next day, she was asking Nino for music recommendations.

 

The next week, Chloe was chatting with Mylene, looking over her pins and suggesting a few shops that might carry some she didn’t already have.

Ivan watched them carefully, still entirely unforgiving of Chloe after both his and Mylene’s akumatizations.

Chloe looked over at him and waved. “Your girlfriend’s sweet, you know.”

Luckily, Chloe’s knack for reading people had only blossomed now that she was employing it towards treating people well. If anything could earn his trust, it was flattery towards Mylene. Ivan almost melted as he looked over at Mylene and nodded slowly. “She’s the best.”

Chloe glanced back at Mylene. “You should come shopping with me and Sabrina sometime.”

Sabrina grinned from beside her. “Yeah, Chloe knows all the best places to find everything.”

“I’d like that,” Mylene answered, still a bit cautious of Chloe, but like the rest of the class, she was starting to warm up to her.

 

By the end of the week, Marinette had made enough progress on Chloe’s dress that she was ready to invite her back for the next step.

“Hey, Chloe,” Marinette stopped by Chloe’s desk on the way out the door. “I have the dress ready for your first fitting when you’re ready to stop by.”

Chloe smiled. “I’m free tomorrow after lunch.”

“That works for me.” Marinette grinned. “I’ll see you then.”

“And, umm…” Chloe hesitantly continued. “As thanks, maybe I could buy you dinner?”

Marinette stopped and looked at her, brows raised. “Really?”

“Well, I thought we could go to L’Abeille. It’s one of Daddykins’ favorites.”

“What?” Marinette’s eyes widened. “But, that’s-”

“Consider it a thank you,” Chloe stood and collected her things. “For a lot of things.”

Marinette considered her answer for a brief moment. After all, things were better with Chloe, but she was still wary. Still, Chloe had tried,  _ really tried _ , and Marinette was proud of her for doing so. “Okay, I’d love for you to buy me dinner, then.”

Alya passed her at just that moment and shot her a concerned look. Despite the fact that she was opening up to the idea of trusting Chloe after seeing how much she supported Nino and Adrien, Alya was clearly still on the skeptical side.

“Great!” Chloe flashed her a grin. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Marinette nodded and hurried to catch up to Alya.

“Did Chloe just say she’s buying you dinner?” Alya asked.

Marinette nodded. “Yep.”

“Where’s she taking you?”

“L’Abeille.”

“L’Abeille?” Alya stopped and turned to look at her. “Marinette.”

Marinette paused and raised a brow. “Yes?”

“You’re going on a date with Chloe,” Alya deadpanned.

“What?” Marinette chuckled. “No. It’s just a thank-you dinner.”

Alya scoffed. “Girl, L’Abeille is not a thank-you restaurant. It’s a date restaurant.”

“Trust me, I think I’d know if this was a date, Alya.”

 

Chloe arrived at the Dupain-Cheng bakery twenty minutes after Marinette texted her that they’d finished lunch. Chloe greeted Sabine as she walked in, “Good afternoon, Mrs. Cheng.”

Sabine sent her a small smile. “Hello, Chloe. Marinette’s upstairs if you want to head on up.”

“Thanks.” She waved and hurried up the stairs.

Marinette met her in the main living room. “Hey, right on time. Dad and I just finished playing a game.”

Tom walked past them and patted Marinette on the shoulder. “You’ll have to teach me that move later on.”

Marinette shook her head. “Not a chance. If I do, you’ll beat me for a change.”

Tom sighed and turned to Chloe. “I’ve raised a monster.”

Chloe chuckled despite herself, watching as he left to go down to the bakery.

Marinette laughed and led Chloe upstairs. “Don’t listen to him. He’s just upset I keep winning at the new Ultimate Mecha Strike.”

“Adrien has that game.” Chloe followed her. “He keeps telling me you can teach me how to beat him.”

Marinette smirked. “Maybe. I do know a few tricks.” She moved her dress form to the middle of her room, displaying Chloe’s dress. “So, what do you think?”

Chloe gasped. “It’s gorgeous!”

Marinette beamed. “Well, let’s see how it looks on you, then.”

Chloe scoffed. “I make everything look good. Obviously, it’s only going to look even better on me.”

Marinette rolled her eyes fondly. “Okay. Just be careful. It’s still a work in progress.” She gently removed the dress from the form as she continued, “You’ll need to take off your clothes.”

Chloe nodded, slowly slipping off the shirt and skirt she’d worn over. “I know. I figured.”

Marinette looked away and held out the dress, now turned inside out. “Don’t worry. I won’t look.”

“I don’t mind if you do,” Chloe answered softly.

“Oh. Okay.” Marinette glanced back. “I’ll help you into it, then.”

Despite expecting it, Marinette was still caught offguard by the sight of Chloe in a pair of surprisingly flattering and lacy black underwear. Her bra was red with black spots, trimmed with lace, and cut low enough to show off the curve of her breasts. Chloe didn’t look at Marinette as they worked together to get her into the dress. Marinette could feel her mouth going dry, and her pulse spiked as she became painfully aware of every part of Chloe’s body her fingertips touched along the way.

“So, a Ladybug bra,” Marinette murmured, hoping to ease some of the sudden tension.

Chloe nodded, a light pink coloring her cheeks. “It’s custom-made. My favorite.”

“I’m flattered.”

Chloe glanced over at her. “Really?”

“Well, I mean…” Marinette blushed. “It looks good on you.”

“Of course. I told you I make everything look good.”

Marinette moved behind her to fasten the Ladybug button in the back. “Okay. I just need you to hold still for a few minutes.” She moved around and carefully pinned the dress where she could see she needed to make adjustments. “I think…” She circled Chloe one more time. “I’m done.”

Chloe relaxed. “Great.”

“Now, let me help you get this dress off.” Marinette did her best to stay professional, avoiding any wayward glances. Something about Chloe in spots was clearly dangerous to Marinette’s heart. She eased the dress over Chloe’s hips and froze when she noticed a detail that had escaped her earlier. A single red ladybug had been embroidered on the stretch of fabric just over Chloe’s left hip. Marinette’s breath caught in her throat, and she didn’t release it until the dress was off Chloe. “Okay, you can get dressed again.”

Marinette busied herself with positioning the dress properly on the dress form and noting where she needed to resew as she waited for the rustle of fabric to stop behind her.

“That was faster than I expected,” Chloe commented. “We have a little time before dinner. Did you want to do something together?”

Marinette shrugged, still recovering from her own reaction to Chloe. “I was just going to work on some adjustments.”

“Okay. I could stay with you while you work,” Chloe suggested.

“That’s probably going to be pretty boring for you.”

“I don’t mind.”

Marinette frowned, her hopes of talking to Tikki dashed now that it was clear Chloe wasn’t leaving. “Well, you and Tikki could spend some time together. She usually doesn’t have much to do while I’m sewing anyway.”

“Oh, I’d love that!” Chloe brightened.

Tikki flew over from her spot on Marinette’s desk. “Hi, Chloe!”

While they chatted behind her, Marinette carried the dress to her sewing machine, already lost in thought. She wished she could call Alya or talk to Tikki herself. Whenever she experienced a dilemma like this, talking it out was always much easier.

She worked as she reflected on everything that had just happened. Her finger still tingled where they’d touched Chloe’s bare skin, which was objectively unusual. It certainly wasn’t the first time she’d seen a girl in her underwear before. Except, Marinette had never felt more than admiration for the design itself in those moments when she’d seen pictures or watched videos. Even when her friends had modeled their new purchases for each other, she’d never reacted like this. Why would Chloe of all people cause such a strong and baffling sensation just because she was wearing ladybugs all over her? Marinette frowned and paused to readjust her angle.

Something was strange. Ever since the night Chloe had gone out to the smallest, most uncomfortably packed club in all of Paris to support Nino, Marinette had started to believe in her. She’d begun looking forward to Chloe’s strange and sometimes whiny texts. Even the emojis were growing on her. Something had changed between them; something more than Chloe knowing and successfully keeping her secret.

Marinette had an inkling of what it meant. She’d seen enough romantic movies to see the signs, but the idea was just too much for her to accept. She couldn’t even put it into words. She couldn’t feel that way about Chloe. Could she?

Her skin hummed with excess energy, begging her to pace or rant or fight or  _ anything _ besides just sit there and sew. This was just too much. How was she supposed to accept that her feelings towards Chloe had changed so drastically over just one month. Sure, she was trying to be kind, and sure she was a much more enjoyable person to talk to now, but that didn’t change their history. It couldn’t.

“Marinette?” Tikki’s soft voice broke her concentration and pulled her back to the present.

Marinette paused her sewing. “Yes?”

“There’s an akuma.”

Marinette finished the sleeve she’d been adjusting. “Okay.” She carefully put the dress back on the form and glanced over at Chloe. “I’ll be back soon.”

Chloe nodded. “Be careful.”

“I will.” Marinette smiled and transformed before leaping out her window to go save Paris.

 

Luckily, Ladybug and Chat Noir managed to defeat the villain well before Marinette’s planned dinner with Chloe. Ladybug even had time to chat with her partner before hurrying back to her room and dropping onto her bed.

“Sorry to run out on you, Chloe.” She released her transformation and climbed down from her bed. “You won’t believe this akuma.”

Chloe held up her phone, streaming a video from the Ladyblog. “Static electricity? Really?”

Marinette laughed. “I said the same thing, trust me.” She raised a brow at the garment bag now draped on the chaise. “What’s that?”

“Well, I’m not wearing this to L’Abeille.” Chloe gestured down to her casual outfit. “I had my driver bring it over. I figured I could get ready here.”

“Oh, sure.” Marinette shrugged, shoving the image of Chloe’s ladybug bra out of her mind. “That sounds good. It’s about time for me to be getting ready anyway.”

Chloe nodded. “I’ll get changed, then.”

Marinette nodded and rushed to her closet. She made a show of looking for a dress, hoping to avoid a repeat performance of the odd feelings that seemed to accompany seeing more of Chloe’s skin than she was accustomed to in class. Marinette quickly pulled out a nice pink dress she’d made herself a few months ago, one of the only things she owned that she could comfortably wear to L’Abeille. She quickly tugged off her clothes to change, mentally busying herself with deciding on accessories and makeup while she waited for Chloe to finish dressing.

“Did you make that?” Chloe asked from behind her.

Marinette turned to look at her, smoothing her palms over her dress as she made sure everything was in place. “Yeah, I-” She paused, quickly examining the shimmering red dress that Chloe had chosen for their dinner together. “Wow, that looks great.” She raised a brow. “Why didn’t you just wear that to the party?”

“I’ve worn this before.” Chloe scoffed. “I can’t just wear any old dress to a party for Ladybug.”

Marinette laughed. “Right, of course. How awful.”

“Hey, I’m doing this out of respect for you, you know,” Chloe sat on the chaise and dug out a small bag of makeup. “I’d appreciate a little less mockery.”

Marinette shook her head and dug out her own makeup stash. “Hope you’re okay sharing a mirror.”

“I brought my own.” Sure enough, Chloe pulled out mirror with battery-operated lights around the edge and set it up on Marinette’s desk.

Marinette settled in front of her mirror. “I’m glad you thought ahead, then.”

“One of my many talents.”

Marinette chuckled and experimented with a few hair styles. “What do you think? Up or down?”

“You should try curling it,” Chloe suggested, plugging in a straightener she’d packed with her dress. “Do you have a curling iron?”

“Ummm… I think.” Marinette sifted through her basket of various makeup and hair products. “Oh, here it is.”

Chloe glanced back and snorted. “Are you serious? That thing’s ancient. Does it even work?”

“Yes, it works. Is being rude to appliances another one of your many talents?” Marinette teased as she reached over to plug it in.

“Hey, I’ve been way nicer lately,” Chloe shot back.

Marinette looked back at her. “Yeah, you have been.” She smiled. “Honestly, I’m really proud of you.”

Chloe relaxed a bit and turned back to her mirror. “Well, I guess you’ve been a good influence on me.”

Marinette hummed in agreement as she brushed out her hair while the curling iron warmed up. “I think you should give yourself more credit. All I did was encourage you.”

“Yeah…” Chloe answered softly. “But it meant a lot.”

Marinette smiled, blushing a bit as she set aside her brush. “I’m glad.”

For the next few minutes, the room was filled with the soft sounds of Chloe picking up makeup brushes and palettes, accompanied by the sounds of Marinette brushing, then curling her hair before she dove into her own makeup supply.

“We should probably be leaving soon,” Marinette murmured as she added a touch of lipgloss and stepped into her heels. “Are you almost ready?”

Chloe nodded. “Just about.”

“Okay.” Marinette turned to look at her. “Well, I’m done.”

Chloe glanced back at her, mascara still in hand. Her eyes widened when she saw Marinette, and she inhaled sharply. Marinette stared right back, stunned to see Chloe with her hair down in soft, loose waves. “You look nice,” Chloe finally managed.

“So do you.” Marinette grinned, coaxing her heartbeat into a more manageable rhythm. “Guess dressing up is another talent.”

“Well, I think we both have that one.” Chloe turned back to the mirror to finish the last of her makeup. “My driver should be here soon.”

 

Moments later, they were on their way, stopping briefly for Marinette’s parents to take a few pictures.

“Bye, girls! Have fun!” Sabine waved as they hurried into Chloe’s limo.

Marinette waved back before closing the door behind them. “Sorry for all the pictures. Mom really loves this dress.”

Chloe waved a hand. “Don’t apologize. We both look gorgeous.”

Marinette grinned. “Yeah, red really is your color.”

“Yours, too,” Chloe answered with a small smile.

“Hmmm…” Marinette glanced down at her dress. “Maybe, but it isn’t my favorite.”

“Well, lucky for you, pink looks good on you, too.”

 

They arrived at L’Abeille moments later, and Marinette marvelled at the beautiful exterior. Chloe slipped her arm in Marinette’s. “Come on. The inside’s even better.”

Marinette stared as she walked through the doors, following as Chloe led her through the lobby.

“We have a reservation under Bourgeois.” Marinette barely registered that Chloe was speaking to someone as she peeked into the dining area. Chandeliers hung throughout the room over intricately laid tables, populated by well-dressed people enjoying their meals. Chloe gently urged her forward as they were led to a table near a window.

Marinette sat, still looking around and taking all of it in. “This place is amazing.”

Chloe chuckled and sat across from her. “Wait until you taste the food.”

Marinette grinned and picked up a menu. “Wow…” She scanned the options. “It all sounds incredible. But…” She frowned. “These prices…”

Chloe rolled her eyes. “Really, Marinette, it’s my treat. Remember?”

Marinette squirmed uncomfortably in her seat. “Yes, but-”

“You’ve spent hours on my dress. Trust me, you’ve earned it.”

“Well, okay, you have a point there.” She glanced back down at the menu. “We could have gone somewhere less fancy, though, you know.”

“Well, if you want to invite me to dinner next time, you’re welcome to pick where we go,” Chloe answered calmly as she considered what to order.

“So, there’s going to be a next time?” Marinette asked, hoping her voice sounded steadier than it felt. Because, while she’d been reluctant to believe it, Marinette was beginning to suspect that maybe Alya really had been right about this being a date. Even more surprising, maybe Marinette didn’t mind as much as she might have expected.

“Well…” Chloe didn’t look up, but Marinette noticed her cheeks darken. “If you want to.”

“Chloe…” Marinette leaned forward and gently pushed Chloe’s menu down to the table. “What is this exactly?”

Chloe finally looked up at her. “I told you. It’s-”

“I mean it.”

Finally, Chloe closed her menu and set it aside. “I did want to thank you. Really.” She fidgeted with the edge of the menu’s cover. “But, I also wanted to say something, and I figured this was a good place to do it.”

“Okay. What is it?”

Chloe met her eyes, looking more vulnerable than Marinette had ever seen her. “Well, I…” She paused and looked down. “Look, two months ago, I realized I had a crush on Ladybug.” Marinette stared as Chloe took a steadying breath and continued, “And, obviously, I know you aren’t even comfortable being friends yet, so I’m not expecting anything, but I needed to tell you. When I found out you were Ladybug, I didn’t know what to do with those…” She grimaced. “I was confused, I guess. But, the way you treated me lately, I’ve…” Chloe glanced up at Marinette, clearly steeling herself for what she was about to say, “I think I like you, Marinette.”

Marinette inhaled sharply. “You what?”

“You heard me,” Chloe answered, a bit harsher than she meant to, based on the way she flinched after she heard herself. “Sorry. I’m…” She shook her head. “I get that you don’t feel the same. I’m fine with it. I just had to say it.”

“I never said-” Marinette cut herself off and deliberately softened her voice. “I was just surprised.”

“I know.”

“No, I mean…” Marinette sighed. “I’ve been confused, too. I thought it would be harder to forgive you than it turned out be, and I really didn’t ever expect to be friends with you.”

Chloe wilted when Marinette called them friends, but she managed a wry smile. “Well, at least it’s progress.”

“Wait, that’s not-” Marinette groaned. “Okay, wait. Let me… I just need a minute.”

“Why?” Chloe asked, brows furrowed in confusion.

“This is why I wanted to talk to Tikki,” Marinette murmured, covering her face with her hands.

“Talk to her about what?” Chloe demanded.

“I think…” Marinette peeked up at her, through her fingers. “If you wanted to say tonight was a date... If you wanted to see where it went…” She took a slow, deep breath and let her hands drop to her lap. “I’d like that, too.”

“Really?” Chloe leaned in, eyes wide.

“Let’s just say that Ladybug bra had me questioning some things,” Marinette admitted, blushing.

Chloe laughed, her posture easing now that the tough part of the evening was over. “I knew it was lucky.”

 

After a dinner Marinette barely noticed among all the butterflies in her stomach, Chloe dropped Marinette off at home.

“How was dinner?” Tom asked as Marinette walked past them.

“Good.” She glanced over at her parents. “I need to call Alya.”

“Well, you can tell us all about it tomorrow, then.” Sabine smiled.

Marinette nodded and hurried upstairs to kick off her shoes and dial Alya.

Alya answered on the first ring. “So, how was it?”

“Alya, I just went on a date with Chloe Bourgeois.”

“Yeah, I told you.” Alya chuckled and repeated, “So, how was it?”

Marinette smiled fondly as she flopped back onto her chaise. “Pretty amazing, actually.”

 

Between fittings, dates with Chloe, and her duties as Ladybug, the rest of the month. Before long, it was time for Chloe’s final fitting, more a test to be sure everything looked the way it should than anything else now that the party was tomorrow. Marinette ran her fingertips over the waist of the dress as she waited for Chloe to arrive. It looked even more beautiful than she’d imagined, painstakingly detailed and sewn to fit and flatter Chloe perfectly.

Her trap door opened, and Chloe stepped in, holding a plate full of pastries and croissants. “Your mom sent me up with some snacks.”

Marinette chuckled. “She said she’d set some aside for us today.”

Chloe set the plate down and pulled off her cardigan. “She mentioned honey croissants.”

“Oh, yeah. I told her how much you liked them.” Marinette gently removed the dress from the dress form. “She said it’s popular with the customers, too.”

“I knew it was a good idea.” Chloe set her clothes aside and walked over to Marinette.

Marinette held out the dress for her, chuckling when she saw what Chloe was wearing. “Your lucky bra? Here I thought you’d want to save that for tomorrow.”

“Why?” Chloe asked, raising a brow as she slipped the dress on. “The whole point was for you to see it.”

“I’m touched.” She helped Chloe fasten the button in the back. “Turn around for me?”

Chloe smiled and twirled. “It feels great.”

“It looks even better,” Marinette added with a smile of her own. She circled Chloe, looking for any flaw that she might need to correct before sending the dress home with her. “I think it’s done.”

Chloe walked over to the mirror, examining it from each angle she could manage. “It looks amazing.”

“Well, of course,” Marinette teased as she put the dress form away. “You make everything look amazing, right?”

“No, I mean it.” Chloe beamed at her reflection. “You made me look even more amazing than I normally do. That takes skill.”

Marinette grinned and walked over to look at Chloe over her shoulder. “Well… I told you that you look good in spots.”

Chloe chuckled and turned to face Marinette, gently resting her hands on Marinette’s waist. “I definitely owe you another nice dinner after all the work you put into this.”

Marinette shook her head. “You don’t owe me anything. You already paid me and took me to dinner.”

“Fine, I’ll just figure out another way to spoil you.”

Marinette laughed. “Oh, is that all? You could just kiss me.” She wasn’t sure who was more surprised by the suggestion: Chloe or herself.

“Really?” Chloe raised a brow. “You want me to?”

Marinette met her eyes. “Yeah. If you want to.” Her heartbeat pounded in her ears as Chloe slowly moved closer.

“Of course I want to.”

Then, suddenly, they were a breath apart and Chloe’s thumb was delicately trailing up her side. Marinette shivered and slid her hands behind Chloe’s neck, her fingers shaking with nervous excitement. Chloe raised a hand to cup Marinette’s cheek, and Marinette turned into the touch, anticipation twisting her stomach as she waited for contact.

Finally, Chloe smiled and gently angled Marinette’s jaw as she moved closer. Marinette’s eyes fluttered closed, and she met Chloe in a soft, sweet kiss that made her head spin. Marinette closed the remaining distance between them, drowning in the feeling of Chloe’s curves pressed against hers. She carefully cupped the nape of Chloe’s neck, and Chloe trembled against her, gasping into Marinette’s lips and whispering her name.

Marinette dove in for another kiss, tasting another pleading “Marinette” on Chloe’s tongue as they moved in for a longer, deeper kiss. Chloe’s hand crept to her back, keeping her close while Chloe’s fingers stroked the side of Marinette’s jaw.

They sprang apart at the sound of footsteps, both bright red and wide-eyed when Sabine stepped inside. “I forgot to offer you-” She stopped and glanced between the two girls. “Oh. I…” Her voice trailed off, leaving an awkward silence in its wake.

“Hey, mom. We were just making sure the dress fit.”

Sabine raised a brow. “Well, if you’re done, I made some tea, and you’re welcome to join me.” She grabbed the trapdoor. “It’s right downstairs.”

The second, the door closed behind her, Chloe shook her head. “You know, for someone with a secret identity, you are a terrible liar.”

Marinette blushed and shot her a glare. “Well, what was I supposed to say?”

“Nothing.” Chloe chuckled and pulled off her dress. “At that point, you just keep quiet and hope for the best.”

Marinette turned to look at herself in the mirror and grimaced. “I’ll keep that in mind next time.”

Chloe snorted. “Next time, we’re not getting interrupted.”

After Chloe changed and Marinette made sure they both looked presentable, she led Chloe downstairs for an awkward cup of tea with her mother.

“Will you be staying for dinner?” Sabine asked, pouring herself a second cup of tea.

“No, my dad’s expecting me,” Chloe answered, stirring more sugar into her drink.

“Well, we’d love to have you over sometime.” Sabine smiled at her.

“I’d like that, too.” Chloe relaxed and took a sip of tea.

Marinette was relieved to see Chloe leave on good terms with her mother, even if Marinette couldn’t quite look Sabine in the eye for the rest of the evening.

 

The next night, Chloe met Ladybug on the roof of Le Grand Paris. Chloe waved as she landed. “You’re right on time.”

Ladybug chuckled. “Are you my escort for the night?”

“Well, you are the guest of honor.”

“One of the guests of honor,” Chat Noir corrected from behind them.

Ladybug shot him a smile. “Of course.”

Chloe led them down to the main floor, introducing them to other guests. Ladybug grinned and waved at her classmates as she passed them, glad to see that they had also received invitations. The ballroom had been beautifully decorated in black and red with green accents as a nod to Chat Noir.

“Everything looks beautiful, Chloe.”

Chat Noir nodded. “Yeah, this is amazing!”

“Well, you two are out saving Paris every day. The least we can do is throw you an amazing party,” Chloe answered.

“Hey, Chat Noir!” Nino waved from across the room.

Chat Noir grinned and crossed the room to greet him.

“I’m surprised you didn’t ask him to DJ,” Ladybug commented, smiling as Chat Noir struck up an easy conversation with Nino.

“He offered,” Chloe replied, “But I thought he’d enjoy the party more if he didn’t.”

“That’s sweet of you.”

Chloe smirked. “I can be sweet, you know.”

“Oh, I know.” Ladybug blushed, lips tingling with the memory of kissing Chloe. She could almost swear she still tasted her lipgloss.

“Oh, Chloe!” Sabrina ran up to them. “This party is perfect! And you look amazing!”

“Thanks, Sabrina.” Chloe looked her over. “That dress looks great on you.”

“So does yours! Where did you get it?”

“Actually…” Chloe smiled. “My girlfriend made it.”

Ladybug glanced over at her, warmth flooding her chest at being called Chloe’s anything, much less Chloe’s girlfriend. She had to admit, she liked the sound of it.

“Do you mean Marinette?” Sabrina asked.

Chloe nodded, her eyes darting to Ladybug to catch her reaction. “Of course.”

Ladybug grinned, thrilled beyond words. “Well, she certainly did a wonderful job.”

“She always does,” Chloe answered fondly.

 

Ladybug spent the rest of the evening answering questions and greeting fans, thoughts of Chloe crowding her mind more with each passing moment. Finally, she and Chat Noir left, thanking Chloe one more time for the wonderful event on their way out.

 

Hours later, once the party was done and clean-up was mostly finished, Chloe collapsed onto her bed, sighing into the comforter. The party had been an incredible amount of work, but it was worth it to celebrate Ladybug.

A soft knock sounded from her balcony, and Chloe sat up.

Speaking of Ladybug…

She grinned and ran to open the door. “I thought you went home.”

“Well…” Ladybug smiled. “I had something else I wanted to say.”

“You did?”

Ladybug leaned in for a soft kiss, cradling Chloe’s cheeks in her palms and savoring the sound of Chloe’s breath catching in her throat. She moved back and whispered into Chloe’s parted lips, “So, girlfriend, huh?”

Chloe nodded, the curve of her lip catching on Ladybug’s as she did. “If you want.”

“I do.” Ladybug leaned in for another, longer kiss, tasting the familiar honey gloss on Chloe’s lips. “It’s perfect.”

**Author's Note:**

> Well, first of all, I just wanted to say that this prompt was so much fun. I was so excited when I saw that I'd gotten you for this exchange! I've never written Chlonette before, so I was thrilled to try my hand at it (although, it was admittedly intimidating to write for the Queen of Chlonette content).  
> Thank you so much for being such a wonderful influence in this fandom and encouraging people to branch out and explore new relationships and new content. Thank you for having the courage to speak up and consistently stand up for yourself. Thank you for creating incredible content for all of us to enjoy. Most of all, thank you for being an absolutely amazing person. We're all so blessed to have you in our lives.


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